Gay marriage: ten most provocative statements

Published: 30 Jan 2013 09:00 GMT+01:00

The gay marriage debate in France has proved to be pretty feisty and has pushed some of those involved into making some fairly provocative public statements. The Local has put together a selection of ten of the most controversial.

President François Hollande's proposed legalization of gay marriage has surprised many for the divisive and rancorous debate it has provoked. With the row set to move into in the National Assembly on Tuesday The Local has put together ten of the most inflammatory statements that have got pulses racing on either side of the debate.

As part of controversial healthcare reforms presented to French Parliament on Tuesday, France is taking aim at everything from smoking to doctor's fees. Here are eight things you need to know about the new bill.
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Don't be surprised if you see more homeless people out on the streets of French cities from Wednesday onwards. April 1st marks the beginning of "eviction season" in France and the end of the "winter truce". The Local explains more.
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Sex workers at a protest in Paris are against the new bill. Photo: AFP

French lawmakers have scrapped a plan to hit clients of prostitutes with hefty fines and instead reinstated a controversial law that sees the sex-workers themselves liable to financial penalties and prison sentences if they are caught selling sex. They were blasted as "regressive" by the health minister.
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Alps Plane Crash

Trucks carrying specialist air crash investigators set off for the crash site by road. Photo: AFP

The grim search through debris and body parts at the crash site of the doomed Germanwings plane in the French Alps was made easier on Tuesday with trucks able to access the area via a new and hastily built road.
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France is home to 300,000 foreign students. Photo: Simone Ramella/Flickr

France is one of the most popular study destinations in the world, with nearly 300,000 foreign students. Relatively low tuition fees and the chance to live in France are certainly appealing, but France’s confusing higher education system can be frustrating to navigate.
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Blog: Student life in Paris

Picnics are a sure-fire way to save a euro or two. Photo: Trey Ratcliff/Flickr

Paris is world renowned for its fine dining culture - but what about the poor hard-up students who can't afford to scoff at the top tables in town? International student Deirdre McAteer explains how to tighten the purse strings but still eat well in the French capital.
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A scene from an earlier demonstration against the reforms, in Lyon. Photo: AFP

With a parliamentary debate on controversial health reforms kicking off on Tuesday, doctors around the country are due to close their surgeries to show their disgust at a new system they say will cripple France's healthcare service.
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